Ep. 2003 Stefano Lorenzi | Masterclass US Wine Market With Juliana Colangelo

The Italian wine podcast is the community driven platform for Italian winegeeks around the world. Support the show by donating at italian wine podcast dot com. Donate five or more Euros, and we'll send you a copy of our latest book, my Italian Great Geek journal. Absolutely free. To get your free copy of my Italian GreatGeek journal, click support us at italian wine podcast dot com, or wherever you get your pots. Welcome to Mastercost US Market with me, Juliana Colangelo. This show has been designed to demystify the US market for Italian wineries through interviews of experts in sales and distribution, social media, communications, and so much more. We will quiz each of our esteemed guests at the end of each episode to solidify the lessons that we've learned. To sharpen your pencils, get out your notebooks, and join us each week to learn more about the US market. Hello. Welcome to Masterclass US White Market. Today, I am thrilled to welcome Stefano Lorenzo to the Italian wine podcast. Stephano represents Castello de Guumelo in Val Calepio. Stefano is an arborist and the winery's agronomist. He's also deeply involved in sustainability efforts in Abra Forest Street. Welcome to the show, Stefano. It's so great to have you here. It's great for me and, everybody. Okay. Fantastic. So before we dive in today's discussion around board of varietals and their cultivation in Italy for the US market, Stefano, tell us a little bit more about you and and Castello D Grumella. Yes. I'm I'm the project director of the Castelli Grumello winery, and the winery is, actually inside a middle aged castle. So we have to manage not only the vineyard, not only the the cellar, but also the castle because we have a lot of people come and visit, our, historical castle. It's a historical, Italian house. So we have to manage a lot of things about also about the custom. And, yes, I'm, the person who managed also the part of the the agronomist part of the vineyard. So I'm, involved also in the, in the field, where we we grow in our, for delays variety. Okay. Great. Fantastic. So, Stefano, today, we're talking about cultivation of those Bordeaux varietals, the history in the region, and the potential for the US market. So our three key takeaways for today's master class and what we're, you know, excited to to speak with you are. Number one, what is the history of Bordeaux varietals in Northern Italy, Lombardi and in in Val Calepio specifically. Number two, based on your experience at Castillo de Grumello, what is the potential for these wines for the US market? And finally, what are some of the other potential opportunities for dovere idols in Italy and the export market. So, to start, tell us a little bit more about the history of planting Bordeaux varietals in Northern Italy and in Val Calipio specifically. The history is very long because, exactly in our castle at the at the end of the eighteenth centuries, the Gonzaga family from Antua, start to import from friends, the little trees, the little the plants of, Cabel, and Merlo, and start to cultivate in the Valkalepio area. We have to think that, also, they opened, at the beginning of the nineteenth centuries, also, a school for teach to the people in the field how to grow in, in a perfect way, the Capernet sauvignon the Monroe. You have to think that we are in up in the hill. We are, mostly, our vineyard are on the five hundred meters up the sea level. So we are in the in the hill. So our tour delays, wine are more, every time, more fresh, more, not so, not so strong, not so heavy. Maybe like some, now, some tuscany style because we have the climate change is arrived also to us. Are not in a strong way because we have a lot of, fresh period during the the Holton and the spring. So we can grow in the cabernet sauvignon in the perfect way. Right. Right. And, in my opinion, one of the the best part of our wine is the the very easy drink attitude And that could be a very good advantages for a lot of market. Absolutely. So do you think, Stefano, that Northern Italy and Lombardi and and even specifically Valapio is one of the best areas and regions in Italy for producing bordeaux varietals. Talk to us a little bit about how you compare the production in your region to the rest of the country because obviously they're making copper name or low down in Tuscany other regions as well. I don't want to be misunderstanding, but, in the future, the climate change in Italy is, is very, real things. And some variety like Monroe suffer a lot this, climate change, especially in vintage like a two two thousand two thousand twenty two or the middle of two thousand twenty three, the Marlborough IT for example, I have a lot of problem for maturation and the two to match dry season and hot, temperature. So in our region, our area, the Balcalepio area, we have a lot of veal. We have the Alps on the backs. We have the Lake of Resideo, near. So we are a very microclimate, very fresh. So in my opinion, in the future, some area of Italy with cabernet sauvignon Merlo, could be, some problem of, for example, the level of the alcohol percent while in the wine. And, for example, sometimes, to maintain the right acidity of the color, macedonian. Our region and our area for now is not a problem. Because of the climate, because of the altitude, because of the proximity to the lakes. Is there anything you're doing specifically in the vineyards beyond, obviously, the natural climate you have to maintain the freshness and acidity in the wines that you're producing? Yes. I'm a I'm a strong believer in, of the agri forestation. We have thirty five hectares, but only fifteen are linear. The other part of the fields are, forest or, part of with trees. We have a lot of trees also near the vineyard. We have ashes inside the vineyard. We we try to maintain, of course, the eye level of biodiversity. My my focus, I have a lot of areas with, shade, a lot of area where during the nights, from the forest comes out the fresh air and mix with the hot air, in the vineyard because during the summer, you can you can understand that, the temperature are very high. But during the night, there is a change of the air between shade and sun field. So there is a little bit of ventilation. And, also, the the the shade air from the wood from the forest help to raise down a little bit the the eye temperature of the ground. They're also here under the sun. Got it. Interesting. And sounds like, again, I mean, the climate, but also what you're doing in the vineyards is really creating this o this optimal environment for these varietals. And, you know, as we know, cabernet, merlot, especially cabernet, in the US market is one of the most popular varietals. So there's really, I think, an opportunity, right, for Italian wines to to capture that market share. So talk to us a little bit about how do you think a cabernet produced in Italy compares to a cabernet produced, let's say, in Napa Valley where a lot of, Americans expect to find cabernet. Maybe also because, the Italian Capernet produce here is, also cultivated in, in another kind of brown because, in our part, there is a lot of stones, a lot of, in our, our crew, the name is colleague Alvario, is a very rock here with a lot of choke, a lot of acidity part of the ground. So our cabernet sauvignon is very focused on, the city part. And also maybe we use a different kind of barrels, different kind of wood. Eastern maybe the cabernet sauvignon of the other part of the the work. So we we we can have, a very balancing between acidity and aromatic care part. Okay. Interesting. Italian wine podcast, part of the mama jumbo shrimp family. Talk to us a little bit more about, what's you're doing in the sellers this more specifically with with the aging process, with the the cabernet. For example, as you know, the wordless style, we actually, we have to make two wines because the cover the, sorry, the merlot, become ready in our region twenty five days before the cover is showing on. The average is twenty, twenty five days. So before we make merald wine after we make a cutter mess of in your wine. Maybe they they make, is on, life for some months. And after we put together, in concrete barrel. They stay for, nine months together, maybe in concrete, contender. And after they go in a very big barrel, we use, French of barrel of fifty four hectares. Our five thousand four hundred liters, and stay there for one year and a half or two years. And just for the last part of their life, they stay six months or nine months in, in Baricks. And we we use just barics of second and third use. Okay. Knock new barics. So not new new oak. Okay. Which also I'd imagine helps keep that more fresh fresh style. Yes. Correct. Stephanie, what what do you think is the potential for selling Italian, cabernet, or low in the US market? You mean, our our, cabernet, our Marumero? Yep. Your your Castello, did you go, Melo, specifically, but also just, you know, if the opportunity in the shooter could be great because, I think that the people in the future want to know particular story. They want to maybe understand, the wise from little areas. Maybe not not yet so famous So it's could be also interesting. The storytelling, but, of course, is interesting. The body of our wine that is, very balancing. Heat has maskol, but is not so easy. It's not so large. So it could be a new kind of, taste, of the people of the future. I think that in the future, the people want more wine, more similar, for example, to the pin on mark, or more similar to fresh wine, not so big body, not so deep color, not so very identical. You have to to know that, also our maximum reserve has, fourteen percentile now is difficult to find a red wine under the fifteen or fifteen point five. So also this kind of, characteristic, let me say, a little bit low alcohol, attitude could be a plus for the US market. Absolutely. I see what you're saying. So, you know, a much fresher style of cabernet that's fitting what the consumers looking for in terms of having a wine that's lighter in body, fresher in style. So you know, your your winery specifically has this opportunity. And then what about price point? Obviously, you know, wines coming out on Napa. A bottle of cabernet is not cheap. You know, you might be spending anywhere from thirty five dollars on the lower end to, you know, hundreds of dollars on the higher end. What price point do you think your wines could fit for the US market when it for Cabernet? Our our wines in Italy are in the middle need the low, part of the price. And I think that in the US market, especially our reserve and our two premium wine, the Burtoni and the call the Calvary, our crew, could be, placed, in the middle, in the middle level of the price in the US. I don't know. Perfect. All the level of the price of the company, sovignan, the US, but I think that they can stay in the middle in the middle eye part. Okay. Can you give us a a price value? Like, even if it's in euro, just about average cost of your wines, the the cabernet specifically? You mean, in the US or in the Europe? In the US, if possible. I I think that that they they can stay around, forty, forty five dollars. Okay. So that's that's competitive in in some ways, but it's not gonna certainly not gonna undercut the NAPA market. So, you're looking more at a at a premium market. So, you, you know, it's finding the opportunities in the US, whether it's in the East Coast, perhaps, or other parts of the country that would have interest and end of wine. I I could definitely see opportunity as well if your winery or the region was able to to come out with maybe a a bottle price, you know, between twenty and thirty dollars. Right? That's still high quality. But it's fitting more of an entry level or it's fitting a consumer, a younger consumer in terms of that that price point. Stephanie, thank you so much for for joining today. We're gonna wrap up. And as we always, we'll do our rapid fire quiz. Where we ask our guests three questions. So number one, what would be your number one tip for mastering the US wide market? It's a difficult question because the the US market, in my opinion, is now a difficult market, but is, getting better in my opinion. And, maybe the the the major tip I can say is, invest, and not only in, not only in the storytelling, but invest also in the experience. I mean, to to to bring the wine to the people and try to, let in taste, invest to the to to let them taste the real the one because sometimes the people, when you say the theo is is always the same cover name. It's always the same below. The one I really like us that produce very particular, also we want to go out next year with a cover name, Frank, only covering the Frank. So one hundred percent covering the Frank. We need to have the possibility to let them taste the wine because, it's a very unique story, so they have to to to to taste. Right. Absolutely. So invest in taste. Invest in tasting and experience. Yeah. Absolutely. That's a that's a basic for sure. What is something you might have told your younger self about working in the wine industry? Another difficult questions. And, it yeah. In my opinion now, we if some people want to start with this job has to be very unique, we have to find everything of unique. We have in our region, in our area, in our cellar, and trying to point of this, on this on this focus because, the wine in the world is a lot. And, we have to be unique. So my tip could be be unique. Absolutely. Have a unique perspective. Something you need to talk about and communicate for sure. And then finally, you know, we travel a lot this industry, what is one of your favorite travel tips? It's, not the smartest, the the trick or travel deck. My my travel deck is take the right time. I usually don't push my my time and my appointment because, in the past, I saw that when I try to put too many things in one travel, the things are not going very good. So I try to take the right time for, every right situation. So I give more attention to the person I meet. Absolutely. So taking the time. Don't overschedule yourself. I think that's great advice. Well, Stefano, thank you again for joining us today on the Italian web podcast. How can our listeners connect and follow along with all the great work you're doing at Castillo de Grumello? Yes. We have the the website. It's Castello de grumello dot I t or we are on Instagram. Or, I have the link in profile as the final rates you're linking. Fantastic. Alright. Thank you, Stephanie. Thank you for for your time, miss Britt. Thank you for joining me today. Stay tuned each week for new shows of Master class US wine market with me, Juliana Colangelo. And remember if you enjoyed today's show, hit the like and follow buttons wherever you get your podcasts.